Peregrine??

Ms2011

So I'm sitting out in my garden & I see a bird of prey land in the garden like it had attempted to catch a bird & missed.
I'm fairly ok at bird identification, especially birds of prey and to me it looked like a peregrine falcon ( there was no mistaking the hooded head) however I always though peregrines caught birds on the wing rather than strike like a Sparrowhawk along a hedge?
Am I crazy to think it was indeed a peregrine? Would this be normal hunting behaviour?
I live in the countryside in the Midlands, are there peregrine known the live there?

Tiercel Dave

There are Peregrines in the midlands but I'd say what you describe is unusual. Have you a rough idea of the size, Jackdaw, Rook, etc.? Peregrines do strike at larger prey in the hope of breaking a wing or disorientating them and then follow up with a second strike when they secure their 'kill'. Mostly males hunting at this time of year and he will take stuff in the region of Thrush/Blackbird size, maybe he had just failed to connect after a low level flight.....

magicbastarder

peregrine are a bit thin on the ground in the midlands, according to this:
https://www.birdwatchireland.ie/IrelandsBirds/Raptors/Peregrine/tabid/399/Default.aspx

Ms2011

Size wise I'd say larger than a kestrel smaller than a Sparrow hawk, v.streamlined wings like a swift.
We have Swallows nesting in our stables, would they have been the target & he just happened to land beside the hedge?

Ms2011

magicbastarder wrote: »

peregrine are a bit thin on the ground in the midlands, according to this:
https://www.birdwatchireland.ie/IrelandsBirds/Raptors/Peregrine/tabid/399/Default.aspx

I would have thought so too which is why I was doubting myself

Alun

A hobby maybe? Colouring is very similar to a peregrine but smaller.

Ms2011

Alun wrote: »

A hobby maybe? Colouring is very similar to a peregrine but smaller.

Just googled one there for a good look & yes you could be right, v.much like what I saw.
I did think it was unlikely to be a peregrine but I couldn't think of what else it could be

Alun

Actually, do we have hobbies in Ireland? I know they have them in England but can't find any reference to them here.

Ms2011

Alun wrote: »

Actually, do we have hobbies in Ireland? I know they have them in England but can't find any reference to them here.

Seemingly we do but they are rare

http://irishbirds.ie/search_results.php?species_anybird=Hobby

ETA: Swallows seem to be a favourite prey too which would fit into what I saw.

jmkennedyie

Just check Merlin too. They also hunt birds.

Ms2011

jmkennedyie wrote: »

Just check Merlin too. They also hunt birds.

Possible, I'm thinking the hood on the head was more pronounced than what the Merlin usually has but I wouldn't discount it either.

magicbastarder

merlin don't make it to the midlands according to the distribution maps on the birdwatch entry.

OpenYourEyes

I'd be inclined to go with a Peregrine, with events unfolding as Tiercel Dave suggests.

Merlin is possible, though numbers-wise they're far fewer and particularly at this time of year. If you look up the BTO Bird Atlas Mapstore you'll get more up-to-date bird distribution maps than what is currently on the BWI website.

Hobby is possible, but much less likely than either of the above options tbh, to the extent that I'd rule it out, especially since there have only been 2 records at their 'usual' Irish sites so far this year.

cd07

Sounds like hobby to me very early sighting though.

falconmidlands

I have lost my peregrine falcon in the midlands are, strange that a falcon wild falcon would hunt that way. Can you give me a rough idea of location in the midlands.

ThunderCat

falconmidlands wrote: »

I have lost my peregrine falcon in the midlands are, strange that a falcon wild falcon would hunt that way. Can you give me a rough idea of location in the midlands.

It sounds to me from the description that it was a wild peregrine rather than a falconry bird that the OP saw. Furthermore the advice given to all posters is not to disclose location information in instances such as this.

Tiercel Dave

falconmidlands wrote: »

I have lost my peregrine falcon in the midlands are, strange that a falcon wild falcon would hunt that way. Can you give me a rough idea of location in the midlands.

Have you telemetry on the bird?.....

Tiercel Dave

ThunderCat wrote: »

It sounds to me from the description that it was a wild peregrine rather than a falconry bird that the OP saw......

There's nothing in the OP's description of events that would cause me to believe that it could only have been a wild bird.....

Ms2011

falconmidlands wrote: »

I have lost my peregrine falcon in the midlands are, strange that a falcon wild falcon would hunt that way. Can you give me a rough idea of location in the midlands.

Was the bird wearing jesses?

ThunderCat

Tiercel Dave wrote: »

There's nothing in the OP's description of events that would cause me to believe that it could only have been a wild bird.....

True but the fact jesses were not mentioned is what led me to think it was a wild bird.

Tiercel Dave

ThunderCat wrote: »

True but the fact jesses were not mentioned is what led me to think it was a wild bird.

Most birds are flown with just anklets nowadays, they could be a bit harder to spot, especially if made from tan coloured leather.....

falconmidlands

the bird had and anklet and a bell on her left leg, no telemetry as she broke an anklet and it snapped off when she was sitting on her block.

Ms2011

falconmidlands wrote: »

the bird had and anklet and a bell on her left leg, no telemetry as she broke an anklet and it snapped off when she was sitting on her block.

Didn't see any anklet, definately no bell.